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Welcome
to the Computers for Seniors Website
Websites
Bits and Bytes Computer
Tips
Our site's feature
articles, websites and tips are normally updated every Monday. If you
see tips or other content you want to print or save, plan on doing so
before next Monday
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Best Utilities
for Your Operating System
While Windows XP has been a nice, stable
operating system for the past several years, there
are some things that can be done better. Also there
are several utilities in the marketplace that are
useful and we take a look at a dozen of these that
can enhance your computing experience. All these
programs are free and have been reviewed and
recommended by various technical writers. Check
them out
here. |
River Barges by Bill Dickson |
Digital Photo Group - The next
meeting will be held on
Thursday, July 10th at the CCCC
Media Center beneath the
Wilkens Library.
. All
meetings will start at 1:30pm The theme for the June meeting is
Landmarks.
Participants may view the photos submitted for the meeting by
clicking here.
If you would like to comment on them online, visit the Digital Photo
Blog link on the left of this page. |
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With the introduction of Office 2007
we will now identify articles and tips that specifically refer to the
latest iteration of MS Office with the Icon to the left. All other tips and items
can/may apply to older MS Office software. |
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CFS Blogs
Replaces Forum Pages To improve our web page we are changing that part
of our site called Forums. The link to CFS Forum will now read CFS Blogs
and will feature our photography group. The link is to the left. |
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You can join or renew membership
online. The new Dues structure is effective January 1, 2008.
There is
also a new Lifetime Membership which is also available. Click
here for the details.
As a member you can help out by
volunteering to be an aide in one of our classes. Become an active member,
not a passive one. |
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Web Sites
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Firefox Add On
#1
If you're big into using the Firefox Web browser,
you probably already know about NoScript,. If you're
new to Firefox or if you haven't started using it yet, here's a brief
description for you. NoScript is a Firefox add on a tool that basically
adds extra protection to your Firefox browser. In other words, it only
allows JavaScript, Java, Flash and other plug-ins to run on the Web
sites you choose and trust. All other sites are blocked by NoScript.
you can download it right
here.
Firefox Add
On #2
FEBE (Firefox Environment
Backup Extension) allows you to quickly and easily backup your Firefox
extensions. In fact, it goes beyond just backing up -- It will actually
rebuild your extensions individually into installable .xpi files. Now
you can easily synchronize your office and home browsers. Download
here.
Free Photo
Editing Software
Paint.NET
is free image and photo editing software for
computers that run Windows. It features an intuitive and innovative user
interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and
a wide variety of useful and powerful tools. An active and growing
online community provides friendly help,
tutorials, and
plugins.
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Bits and Bytes |
Hackers Go After Macs
Another Trojan targeting the Mac
has been found on the Web, as
the number of malicious
applications increases with the
growing popularity of Apple
computers. Security vendor
Intego discovered the latest
malware masquerading as a
program for Mac OS X called "PokerGame."
The application is a script
wrapped in an executable bundle
that's distributed by e-mail as
a Zip file. When opened, the "PokerStealer
Trojan" asks the victim for his
administrator's password. If
it's given, the program then
opens a secure shell, or SSH, on
the Mac to establish
communications with a remote
server. SSH is a network
protocol that allows data to be
exchanged using a secure channel
between two computers.
Once
communications between the
infected computer and server
have been established, the
Trojan sends the user name and
password, along with the IP
address of the Mac. After
gaining access to the computer,
hackers can attempt to take
control of them, delete files,
damage the operating system, or
perform other tasks.
Securing Wireless Devices
Wireless routers are set up to send out a beacon called the
Service Set IDentifier (SSID), which is what helps your wireless
devices (laptop, etc.) connect to the Internet. The main purpose
of the SSID is to broadcast wireless signals and invite
available devices within range to connect to them. Now, if a
device doesn't know a network's SSID, it will not be able to
connect. So, if you change your SSID settings, only the people
who know the SSID will be able to connect to your wireless
network. That can help keep some of the "outsiders" away. Now,
while hiding your SSID keeps casual users at bay, you could
still have trouble with hackers. Unfortunately, a hacker who is
determined enough to get into your network will find a way. You
can change your router's login and password to be different from
the default settings. If you're still using the login and
password that came with your router, anyone could connect to it,
change your settings and even lock you out. You should also
change your SSID to something a little more unique. Most routers
come with a name of default, which is very easy for
hackers to figure out. You should change it to something a
little more meaningful to yourself. Lastly, you should turn on
your encryption. If you do that, your router will not give
access to any wireless devices unless they can provide the
password you specify. It will also encrypt any communication
between your computer and your router so that no one will be
able to see what goes on. Note: If your router
supports WPA encryption, you should use that over WEP, which is
an older version.
The Difference Between Flash and Shockwave
You've
probably heard of both Flash and Shockwave, but do you know the
difference between them? Flash and Shockwave allow Web sites to
deliver the most engaging, compelling and interesting
entertainment content on the Web. The Web utilizes technologies
like Flash and Shockwave to enhance the entertainment experience
you get when you use the Internet. There are certain Web sites
that require either Shockwave or Flash to be installed in order
to view their content. For example, many sites require Shockwave
to be able to play free slot games, etc. They both:
1.) Are
technologies developed by Macromedia, Inc.
2.) Are plug-ins
for Web browsers.
3.) Make use of
ActiveX in Web browsers.
4.) Enable Web
pages to include multimedia objects, such as graphics, video and
animations.
Macromedia
Flash
1.) Macromedia
Flash is widely spread, as many Web sites require Flash to be
pre-installed. It allows designers to combine text, graphics,
video and sound to create dynamic and immersive applications in
a variety of fields, including interactive Web content and
games.
2.) Flash loads
comparatively faster than Shockwave.
3.) Flash allows
designers and developers to integrate video, text, audio and
graphics into their interactive presentations.
4.) Flash works in
the .SWF Flash format and it is part of the "SIMPLE" Scripting
Level.
Macromedia
Shockwave
1.) Macromedia
claims that over 200 million Web users have installed the
Macromedia Shockwave player. Some of the features supported by
Shockwave are 3D games, product demos and online learning
applications.
2.) Shockwave is
mostly used for online games and areas that require programming
(as opposed to simple video clips or animations). It has the
ability to move objects around as well.
3.) Shockwave has a
special built in feature where it can integrate Flash into its
own format (Flash cannot do that with Shockwave).
4.) Shockwave can
only be created using the Macromedia Director and it is part of
the Advanced Scripting Language. Shockwave requires technical
expertise as well.
5.) Shockwave works
in the .DCR Shockwave format, which is one that is much harder
to decode/modify.
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Computer Tips |
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Web Browsing - Making Text
Readable
Have you ever gone to a Web site that has a dark colored background and
dark colored text? it's pretty hard to see what's actually written
there, but it is also easy to change the background color and even the
text color on a Web page ,Next time that happens to you, hit
CTRL-A . All the text on the website will be selected
(highlighted). The selection color is normally blue with white text.
Much easier to read than, say, a dark red on a black background.
Windows - Copying Error Messages
Here is what to do to when you get a cryptic error message that you
don't understand. To save the message before going on the internet for
an explanation, you need to copy the message. There are two ways to do
this. First, hit the Control key and the letter C. Open
WordPad (usually on the Accessories menu) and right click and select
Paste. Now
you can copy the message into Google. The second way is to hit Print
Screen, open up Paint (also on the Accessories menu) and click
Edit,
Paste. Copy the error message from Paint and place in your search
engine.
Windows - Fast User Switching
Windows
XP offers you the option of Fast User Switching. It is
very handy if you’re busy on the computer when another user wants to
take a quick peek at their e-mail or documents. You don’t have to
close out all your programs or log off. In XP, you can switch to the
other user’s account and then back to your own, without ever losing
anything. Note: You can only activate the Fast User
Switching option if you have a computer Administrator account. Go to
Start, Control Panel and click on the
User Accounts link. Once there, click on the
User Accounts link one more time and then choose the option of
Change the way users log on or off. Lastly, in the next
window, you can see whether or not the Fast User Switching
option is enabled. If it's not, you can enable it by simply checking the
box next to it and then clicking Apply Options.
Now that you have enabled the Fast
User Switching option, you can now switch over to another user. You can
do that by going to the Start menu and choosing
Log Off. After you do that, a window will come up, asking if
you want to switch users or log off. Click Switch User.
Once you’ve done that, the Windows XP welcome screen will appear. You
can then choose the account you want to switch to. Reverse the process
to get back to the original user.
MS Word 2003 & Before - Editing Word
Documents
Have
you ever found yourself looking for the last place you were working in a
long MS Word document? You were working on something somewhere in the
middle when you last saved and closed it out. When you reopened the
document, the cursor was on page one, in the top left hand corner. So,
there you are, patiently scrolling through the mess, trying to find your
lost location. A quick way to go right back to the last place you edited
is simply hit Shift + F5. It's that simple.
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